Nature Moncton Nature News: June 27 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 27, 2020 (Saturday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca .

To respond by e-mail, please address your message to the information line editor, nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com .

Please advise the editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labelling. Note that corrections, deletions, or delayed additions may not always appear on the Info Line and email transcript but will always appear on the BlogSpot. For this reason, it is recommended that those wishing to look at historical records use the BlogSpot rather than the email transcript. The BlogSpot can always be accessed from the website.

For more information on Nature Moncton, check the website at www.naturemoncton.com .

Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Aldo Dorio took a photo of the EASTERN TENT CATERPILLARS [Chenille de la tente orientale] with their base tent structure in one of their favourite sites of a CHOKECHERRY bush which happens to be in full bloom showing the cone-like flower clusters of Chokecherry vs the pincushion style clusters of Pin Cherry. Aldo also got a photo of a CANADA GOOSE [Bernache du Canada] family travelling in a very soldierly line with parents posted at each end.

** I am reattaching Gordon Rattray’s EVENING PRIMROSE [Onagre] photo as this plant does some very interesting things. It likes to close during bright, sunny days and open in the evenings or cloudy days due to its close association with the Primrose Moth that lives its whole life on this plant. The adult is now flying at night, pollinating the Primrose, and during the day often stays hidden in the closed down petals, well camouflaged in white, pink and yellow with some similarities to the Rosy Maple Moth but smaller. It lays its eggs and the developing larval caterpillars feed on the primrose pods, looking so much like a pod that one has to stare at look for them to see them as they grow at the same rate as the pods do. If you see “frass” (caterpillar poop) on the plant then caterpillars are present. It’s one of Mother Nature’s special relationships, pollination in exchange for a bite to eat.

On Friday Gordon shares a photo of the common plant ... BLADDER CAMPION [Campion de la vessie] blooming at the moment, a nice photo of a female NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic flamboyant] (no black moustache) peering over the grass, and a striking photo of a RIVER JEWELWING DAMSELFLY [Jewelwing rivière]. The Jewelwings, of which we have three, are the larger damselflies that we have. Gordon reports that 4 of the 5 Tree Swallow boxes that he has out are occupied.

A large YELLOW UNDERWING MOTH was day perched on his screen. This introduced European moth has become very common; however it is very variable in its markings but the yellow underwing with a black border is a clue to think of first. Gordon also has a critter attached to his screen which I had no clue as to what it was. BugGuide said it was a beetle pupa of some type and to keep it around and find out so Gordon get it in a jar quickly and let’s find out!

** Brian Stone checked out the Gorge Rd. MILKWEED [asclépiade] patches on Friday to find the plants looking healthy despite the yellow leaves present at the bottom of most plants. Several of the flower groups were open and wafting a strong, pleasant fragrance in the air that just has to let Monarch Butterflies know it’s ready to have them drop by. Brian took 4 of the small, individual flowers home and the little flowers were potent enough to fill his living room with their aroma. He also spotted a HARRIS’S CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY [Damier de Harris], a VICEROY BUTTERFLY [Vice-roi], and a PECK’S SKIPPER BUTTERFLY [Hespérie de Peck] along the way. The Viceroy Butterfly is easy to think Monarch Butterfly at first glance but the dark bar across the hindwing, smaller size, and less white spotting at the wing rim helps to quickly tell the difference. The Viceroy larval food plant is willow whereas the Monarch Butterfly larval food plant is milkweed; however, the Viceroy Butterfly will nectar milkweed flowers just to fool naturalists!

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton